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Sunday, September 30, 2012

Like you, I’ve been drowning in OFA fundraising emails lately. But this one yesterday got to me:

Your response right now determines how strong our campaign will be in these final 38 days.

It determines how many organizers we can hire to get out the vote, how many ads we can run with our message, and how many field offices we can open.

Thirty-eight days to go -- this is our one shot.

It got to me because I KNOW how important our grassroots organizing efforts are. Every day I am simply amazed by the dedication, hard work and good humor of our North Naples East Field Organizer Hannah Murphy, who took a semester off from American University to help reelect President Obama -- without even knowing if she’d be paid. I’ve come to know and admire Stefanie Sass, Field Organizer for South Coast/Downtown; Charlie Saling, Field Organizer for the River District in Fort Myers; Michael King, an early Naples Field Organizer now in Bonita Springs; David Figa, a former OFA Fellow here in Naples, now a Field Organizer at Florida International University; Steve Jackson, a Regional Field Director who - having built a great team in Naples, was reassigned to Florida’s critical East Coast; and so many more terrific, engaged, dedicated, hard-working young campaign staffers. Yes, if Florida goes for Obama, it will because we volunteers registered voters, knocked on doors and made calls to get out the vote. But we wouldn’t have been able to do any of those things without the OFA field organizers, regional field directors, state field team, and the resources (phones, paper, computer systems, training videos/webinars, etc.) paid for by the campaign.So I am directly asking for your support.Please show your appreciation for Hannah, Stef, Matt, Edward, Michael, Austin, Steve, Erik, Meaghan, and all the other staffers OFA has sent to us in Naples.Contribute whatever you can to the Obama campaign – and if possible, do it right now by through my Personal Fundraising Page (click here).

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Election Day – November 6 – is 51 days away, but there are several
important dates before then you should keep in mind.

Today you should
check on the status of your voter registration.
This helpful
website lets you do that wherever you live. I was taken to my official
state and county websites where I confirmed that my registration is active and
up-to-date. I also confirmed that my County Supervisor of Elections received my
vote-by-mail request. Check yours now!

If you have not yet registered or if you need to make
changes to what is currently on file (address, name, signature, party
affiliation), go now to www.gottavote.com and take care of it.

October 9 is the last
day to register to vote in Florida in the upcoming elections, but it varies
by state. Check yours here.

October 27 is the
first day of early voting in Florida. Early voting locations will be open from 7am
to 7pm through Saturday, November 3, including Sunday, October 28.

Where you vote early is not the same as where you vote on
Election Day, so be sure you know where to go. The information will be included
with the sample ballot you will receive by mail, or check with your local
Supervisor of Elections. In Collier
County, FL, go to www.colliervotes.com
or call (239) 252-8450.

October 31 is the
last day registered Florida voters can request a vote-by-mail ballot, and I
strongly urge you to do so wherever you live. Florida’s ballot is exceptionally
long this year, with 11 constitutional amendments along with the usual federal,
state and local races, and the lines at the polling places – both during early
voting and on election day – will be long.

Any registered voter can vote by mail in Florida as in most
states – no excuses are needed.

You can apply for a vote-by-mail ballot for yourself as well
as other members of your family. (Parents – are you listening?)

And even if you’ve requested a vote-by-mail ballot, you can
still vote in person if you choose. Just
bring your ballot (voted or not) with you to the polls so it can be
destroyed. (If you forget it, you'll have to vote a provisional ballot.)

To request a vote by mail ballot, call your county
Supervisor of Elections or visit her website (for Collier click here or call
239-252-8450)

November 3 is the
last day of early voting, as noted above.

November 6 is, of
course, Election Day. Polls will be open from 7am to 7pm. You must vote at the
assigned precinct of your legal residence, which will be noted on your sample
ballot as well as your voter identification card.

I encourage you to enter these key days in your calendar and
do everything you need to ensure you and your family members have a
trouble-free voting experience.

Then spread the word. We all know how much is at stake in
this election.